The radish is an edible root vegetable of the Brassica family. Radishes have numerous varieties, varying in size, color and duration of required cultivation time. Like other brassicas, radishes contain mustard oils, which give them pungency. Radishes have been cultivated for thousands of years in both China and the Mediterranean area. Radishes were a common food in Egypt before the building of the pyramids and are one of the most ancient cultivated plants.